Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and

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Ruiz-Parker Final Presser Quick Quotes

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Photo of the day

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Jones-Gunn: Skill vs. Will

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Jones Jr. – Gunn Kickoff

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American light flyweight Nico Hernandez will win at least a bronze medal after narrowly defeating Carlos Eduardo Quipo Pilataxi. Hernandez lost the first round on two cards. The bout was tied on all three cards after two, but Hernandez pulled out the last round on all three cards. Hernandez will face Hasanboy Dusmatov in the semifinal. The USA hasn’t won an Olympic medal in men’s boxing since Deontay Wilder won a bronze in 2008.

2008 Olympic bronze medalist Yordenis Ugas (15-3, 7 KOs) poses with former world champion Joel Casamayor. Casamayor is training Ugas for his Fight Friday night against Jamal James that will be the televised co-feature on ESPN. This is the first fight that Casamayor is training Ugas.

30 days out from their September 10 showdown in London, WBC/WBA/IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin and IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook both took part in their WBC-mandated 30-Day weigh-ins. Brook scaled in at 176 pounds, while GGG weighed 165 pounds. They both have to get down to 160 pounds or less by the official weigh-in on September 9.

Unbeaten welterweight contender Jamal James (20-0, 9 KOs) is set to take on Olympic bronze medalist Yordenis Ugas (15-3, 7 KOs) in a 10-round showdown featured on Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes this Friday from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. James replaces undefeated welterweight Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella, who was forced to withdraw from the bout because of an injury to his left thumb. The card is headlined by undefeated rising contender Miguel Flores taking on once-beaten Ryan Kielczweski in featherweight action.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $60 for ringside, $35 and $25, and are on sale now (may be subject to additional fees). Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster, by calling 877-833-SHOW or by visiting the Turning Stone Box Office.

34-year-old Clemente Russo of Italy, competing in his fourth Olympics and a two-time silver medalist, failed to reach the medal round in the heavyweight division. Russo lost 3-0 to Russian Evgeny Tischenko.

WBO, WBA and IBF light heavyweight world champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) is set for his November showdown with undefeated former world champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs). The plan is for Kovalev to square off against Ward on November 19 on HBO-PPV, however there are still unresolved last minutes issues to iron out with Ward’s promoter Roc Nation.

We caught up with the “Krusher” Tuesday afternoon at the Target Terrace at LA Live where the boxing match against Ward was supposed to be announced.

“This fight means a lot. It’s the fight of my career. It is a very important fight I am very excited,” Kovalev told Fightnews.com®. “I am ready, I have huge respect for Andre Ward. I am excited for this. Thanks to Egis (Klimas), Main Events, Kathy (Duva).”

Kovalev will begin training camp in the Southern California high altitude mountains of Big Bear, California, with his trainer, former world champion John David Jackson, as the duo prepares for the showdown with Ward.

“Now we will get to begin to and train hard for this fight,” Kovalev said. (more…)

Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya gave a talk to the Dallas Cowboys at Dallas Cowboys Training Camp on Tuesday in Oxnard, California. “The Golden Boy” also met with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Oscar de la Hoya: “Canelo has opened up his training camp in San Diego. Now he begins to sharpen his tools, get his timing where he likes it to be, the sparring intensifies, he tightens up his footwork, defense and offense. Canelo is never, ever in a boring fight. He is one to take you apart and knock you and that is what he plans to do with Liam Smith. Liam Smith is going to come to the US wanting to take the title back with him to the UK. It’s going to be a battle one not to miss. I think this will be a fight fought in the center of the ring.” (more…)

Manny Pacquiao confirmed on Wednesday that Jessie Vargas will be his opponent on November 5 in Las Vegas. “Yes, the fight is on,” said Pacquiao in a statement. “I have agreed to a November 5 fight with reigning WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas.”

Pacman also stated that his entire training camp will be held in the Philippines where he is a member of the Senate.

Tuesday’s two sessions of Olympic Games Boxing offered up eight Lightweight (60kg) and Middleweight (75kg) bouts, as well as a first taste of Rio 2016 action for four of the eighteen Super Heavyweights (+91kg). It was a star-studded start to the day as Cuba’s triple World Lightweight Champion Lazaro Alvarez stepped into the ring, before Brazil’s Robson Conceição fired up the crowd and then Cameroon 18 year-old Dieudonne Seyi Ntsengue and France’s Sofiane Oumiha delivered superb performances to keep their Olympic dreams alive. (more…)

Former world champion Marcos Maidana (35-5, 31 KOs) has officially announced his retirement on his Facebook page. The 33-year-old Argentinean was world junior welterweight and welterweight champion. He hadn’t fought since September 2014 when he lost on points against Floyd Mayweather.

Dear boxing Friends,

After a long time out of the ring and after giving it a lot of thinking since my last fight I’ve decided to hang up the gloves for good.

Probably my decision would not surprise much as I had given hints of it in the last few months. But at this time I am making it official.

Before anything else, I must say that I leave very proud and deeply thankful to boxing and everything that I have achieved. I’ve really never imagined getting this far when I put on a pair of gloves for the very first time when I was 15 in my native Margarita city. I think I was able to put the name of my country Argentina very high after winning two world titles, winning and losing against the best fighters of the world. (more…)

Former IBF flyweight world champion Amnat Ruenroeng (17-1, 5 KOs as a pro and rated #6 by the WBO at flyweight) was stopped in round three by 21-year-old French amateur Sofiane Oumiha in a lightweight bout. Ruenroeng received multiple eight counts. All three professional fighters competing in the 2016 Olympics have now been defeated by amateurs early on in the tournament.

American middleweight Charles Conwell was the first member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team to be defeated at the 2016 Olympic Games. India’s Krishan Vikas beat the 18-year-old Conwell 3-0.

Irish lightweight David Joyce was ousted by Albert Selimov of Azerbaijan 3-0.

On Tuesday at a Los Angeles press conference, WBO, WBA and IBF light heavyweight world champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) was supposed to announce the details of his November 19 PPV showdown against Andre “S.O.G.” Ward, who was not in attendance.

Promoter Kathy Duva stated, “We expect the fight will be taking place SOMEWHERE…we have a deal with the T-Mobile (in Las Vegas) as far as I’m concerned. Duva also stated Ward felt it was too close to the fight [date] to travel to this kick-off press announcement. (The fight is more than three months away!)

“I guess living hell is a pretty good description of the negotiations,” Duva added. “But seriously, there’s a lot of nice people at Roc Nation but unfortunately, the leadership of their company is just not capable of dealing with this fight. We’re trying and as far as I’m concerned we have a deal. We made a deal back in June to put the fight at the MGM. I don’t know what they want. I don’t know what this tactic is they’ve employed in the last 48 hours. I can only come to the conclusion that perhaps on their side there’s some problem with Andre Ward. But we have an agreement and we’ll see that they live up to it.”

Lightweight prospect Mason Menard (31-1, 23 KOs) will face Bahodir Mamadjonov (19-2, 11 KOs) in a 10-round battle in the new co-feature of ShoBox: The New Generation on August 19 at the outdoor soccer venue Rhinos Stadium in Rochester, NY.

The second of three professional boxers competing in the Rio Olympics has been knocked out of the tournament without a medal. Unbeaten WBA #11 featherweight Carmine Tommasone (15-0, 4 KOs as a pro) of Italy, a former EBU-EU champion, was defeated 3-0 by Cuban Jorge Lazaro Alvarez 3-0 in the lightweight division.

Now living and training in London, the 24 year-old is relishing a return to his hometown having left the Swedish capital to pursue his professional boxing career. His bout will provide chief support for the interim WBC Female World Welterweight title fight between Mikaela Lauren and Klara Svensson.

Yigit said “It’s going to be great. The Hovet is close to where I grew up so it really feels like I’m fighting at home. I’ve been away for a long time. I left Stockholm in 2011 to prepare for the Olympics and have spent my pro career in London, Copenhagen and Tenerife. (more…)

As Donnie Nietes takes his career a level higher on ALA Promotions’ next US event on September 24 at the Stubhub Center in Carson, California, the longest-reigning Filipino world champion ever and current WBO junior flyweight champion says he’s “very excited” to be fighting at 112 lbs.

Before his most recent title defense against former world champion Raul “Rayito” Garcia in his hometown in Bacolod City last May, Nietes had already decided to move up in weight. “I was ready to leave the light flyweight division before (fighting) Garcia. I was thinking he would be my last opponent at 108lbs. The next thing I did was to ask my manager and promoter and I am very glad they granted my request.”

Nietes is 38-1-4, with 22 wins via KO. He’s successfully defended his WBO world junior flyweight title nine times since winning it in 2011 and before that he held the WBO minimumweight title, winning it in 2007, and defending that title four times. (more…)

On Thursday evening at the Fort Belknap Casino in Harlem, Montana, Pacific Northwest amateur stand-out Patrick Ferguson (3-0, 3 KOs) will headline a boxing card as a professional for the first time in his young career, taking on former world title challenger Rubin Williams (29-28-1, 16 KOs) in the six round main event of Silver Wolf Fight Promotions’ eight bout pro-am show. (more…)

It is with a very heavy heart that we share some sad news about our dear friends Lee and Mary Samuels. Lee is the PR Chief of Top Rank. Their beloved son Eddie, 30, passed away suddenly on Saturday. The details for Eddie’s funeral are as follows:

Rio 2016 Light Flyweight and Heavyweight Quarter-Finals confirmed on a dazzling third day of Olympic Boxing

Four weight classes were in action on Day Three of the Rio 2016 Boxing Competition, with eight crucial bouts deciding the quarter-finalists at Light Flyweight (49kg) and Heavyweight (91kg) as well four bouts at Welterweight (69kg) and Middleweight (75kg) across the two sessions. If the morning belonged to Spain’s Samuel Heredia following his victory over Irish second-seed Patrick Barnes, then the evening was Kazakhstan’s time to shine, as the team secured three superb wins. (more…)

Undefeated #1 Ranked Cruiserweight Contender Oleksandr Usyk, (9-0-0, 9KO’s), is deep in training in the beautiful city of Bukovel, Ukraine for his world title showdown with WBO Cruiserweight World Champion Krzystof Glowacki, (26-0-0, 16KO’s) set for Saturday, September 17, 2016 at the Ergo Arena in Gdansk, Poland.

Gold Medalist for Ukraine in the 2012 Olympics in London, England, the 29-year-old Usyk, promoted by K2 Promotions Ukraine, is looking to become the fastest world champion in cruiserweight division history in his 10th professional fight. The record is currently held by boxing legend Evander Holyfield who captured the world title in his 12th fight against Dwight Muhammed Qawi in 1986. (more…)

In today’s morning session, UK light flyweight Galal Yafai was defeated 2-1 by Cuban Joahnys Argilagos. It was the first loss in the tournament by Team GB. Galal is the younger brother of world rated pro super flyweight Kal Yafai.

Due to the increased activity around the world brought about the ongoing Summer Olympic Games, the World Boxing Council (WBC) has extended the deadline for eligible boxers to enroll in the Clean Boxing Program (CBP). The new enrollment deadline is September 9, 2016. Any eligible boxer who is not registered in the CBP will be removed from the WBC rankings and suspended from any activity in the WBC.

One of the most salient aspects of the CBP is that it includes out-of-competition, random anti-doping testing. All WBC champions and the boxers included in the top 15 in the WBC ratings must agree to out-of-competition, random anti-doping testing. Enrollment in the CBP is mandatory for all eligible boxers.

To enroll, simply follow this process:

1. All boxers are required to watch the Clean Boxing Program Webinar, which provides information about anti-doping and illegal procedures in boxing.

2. Fill-in and sign the forms and email them directly to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA).

Former world bantamweight champion Jose Becerra has passed at the age of 80. The Mexican-born Becerra turned pro at age 17. He was an excellent boxer-puncher, getting his title chance on July 9, 1959, against Alphonse Halimi of France and winning the title via an eighth round knockout. Becerra successfully defended his title against Halimi (by KO) and Kenji Yonekura (by split decision). What shortened Becerra’s career was a knockout victory over Walter Ingram in a non-title bout (10-24-1959) which led to Ingram’s death a few days after the fight. Becerra was never quite the same after this tragedy and was kayoed by journeyman Eloy Sanchez (8-30-1960). Becerra retired after that fight at age 24.

In 1962, Becerra returned to the ring to fight a six round bout to raise money for the family of a boxer who had died in the ring. Becerra’s excellent final tally was 68-4-3 with 42 KOs. RIP Champ!

I have just returned to Mexico after spending one week in Las Vegas, Nevada, where I was present for the 4th Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and also for the annual Convention of the ABC (Association of Boxing Commissions of the USA). I also had the opportunity to spend three days with my wife and three kids and it was awesome to relive the experience of Las Vegas. I took my family to “Mystere” and “Michael Jackson” shows, walked the strip entering every single hotel which is like touring the world, went up the Stratosphere and rode the game (and survived!) and, of course, dining and shopping.

I am very grateful to the NBHOF as I was awarded the “Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award,” which I accepted with honor but only on behalf of the so many persons in boxing and the WBC family which make the difference in this world with their passion and compassion and willingness to serve others. “One action will not change the world, but the continuous actions of many does make our world better.” (more…)

Lightweight contender Felix Verdejo (22-0, 15 KOs) is “stable and alert” after a one-person motorcycle accident in Puerto Rico. According to El Nuevo Dia, “El Diamante” lost control of his bike and fell to the pavement. He suffered multiple lacerations, but doesn’t appear have any broken bones. He was wearing a helmet, but reportedly did suffer an unspecified trauma to the head. CT results are pending. The accident could throw a wrench into Top Rank’s plans to match Verdejo against WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan on Manny Pacquiao’s November 5 PPV card.

The Men’s Lightweight (60kg), Welterweight (69kg) and Light Heavyweight (81kg) boxers took to the ring on Sunday morning to begin a second busy day with 20 bouts of Olympic boxing. Eighteen nationalities were represented across the morning’s ten contests, and it was Kenya’s Rayton Okwiri and the Ecuadorian Carlos Mina who got the crowd fired up in the opening session. (more…)

Light Heavyweight Yunieski Gonzalez (17-2, 13 KOs) returned to the winning column Saturday night at the Doubletree Miamimart Hotel in Miami, Florida. After consecutive defeats to former world champ Jean Pascal and undefeated contender Vyacheslav Shabransky, Gonzalez scored an explosive first round KO over Brazilian Jackson Junior (21-7, 19 KOs). Under new trainer Pedro Diaz, Gonzalez came out fast and furious and dropped Junior three times causing a rapid halt to the bout.

Former IBF flyweight world champion Amnat Ruenroeng, 17-1, 5 KOs as a pro and rated #6 by the WBO at flyweight, outscored Argentinian amateur Ignacio Perrin 3-0 in a lightweight preliminary matchup at the Rio Olympic Games.

Super bantamweight Tyson Cave (29-3, 12 KOs) scored a seventh round KO over journeyman Javier Franco (25-19-4, 11 KOs) on Saturday night at the Lebrun Arena in Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada. Cave put Franco on his knees for the count with a cracking right to the jaw. Time was 1:20.

Another spectacular knockout for rising super featherweight Alberto ‘Explosivo’ Machado (15-0, 13 KOs), this time in the second round against Yardley Suarez (15-4, 9 KOs) on Saturday night at the Coliseo Cosme Beitia Salamo in Catano, Puerto Rico. Honoring is nickname ‘Explosivo’; Machado began landing bombs in the very first round hurting Suarez with powerful combinations that drop him down after a vicious left straight hand. Suarez survived the first round but the end came at 2:43 of the second round when Machado went after him and showed why once again he belongs to top elite Boricua prospects. (more…)

Story by John DiSanto – PhillyBoxingHistory.com
Photos by Darryl Cobb Jr. / dcobbjr.com

Heavyweight Chazz Witherspoon, 35-3, 27 KOs, crushed Michael Marrone, 21-6, 15 KOs, in round two of a scheduled 6-rounder Saturday night in Bristol, PA. The bout was the main event of an eight bout card promoted by D and D Promotions and Silver Spoon Promotions, at the Grundy Arena, a local hockey venue in the historic little Bucks County town. This was the second-ever boxing event at the site.

Witherspoon, fighting for the first time in a year, wasted no time is securing his 35th professional victory. He moved out toward Marrone at the sound of the bell and began testing the former cruiserweight title challenger immediately.

About half-way through the round, Witherspoon flicked a right hand at Marrone, which landed around the temple and put him on the deck, near a neutral corner. Marrone hauled himself to his feet, and referee Hurley McCall sent him back into the fight. (more…)

WBC #2 lightweight Dante “Crazy” Jardon (30-5, 23 KOs) scored an exciting tenth round stoppage of Nery “Pantera” Saguilan (37-7-1, 17 KOs) on Saturday night at the Arena Coliseo in Mexico City. In the tenth round, both fighters hit the canvas, Jardon went down first, but recovered and sent Saguilan to the canvas twice. The bout was halted at 2:58 of round ten. The bout was for the WBC Lightweight International silver title.

On Saturday, November 19, Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs), the WBO, WBA and IBF light heavyweight world champion, and Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) the former super middleweight world champion and “Super Six” winner, officially announced their long-awaited showdown following Ward’s victory over Alexander Brand at the conclusion of the live HBO telecast Saturday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Kovalev vs. Ward will take place November 19 on HBO Pay-Per-View. Additional details for the event, including ticket information, will be released shortly.

Live on HBO tonight, when asked about whether or not Ward is ready to face him Kovalev said, “I think he is ready. I am ready too. The fight against Chilemba was similar to how it is going to be against Andre Ward. He is a really great champion and he proved this today. I just want to say, let’s do it November 19 on HBO.”

Ward responded, “I am excited, man. I am looking forward to it. I want to be the light heavyweight champion of the world. I got past this step. He got past his step. We will see you in November. I have been doing this for 22 years and if I am not ready to fight the best now then I will never be ready. I have been preparing for these moments since I been a kid. You got to respect Sergey for the way he has gotten to where he has gotten. He didn’t have any soft touches. He wasn’t protected. He wasn’t really pushed by the media. He is a guy who should get a lot more credit than he has. The winner of this fight could possibly be pound-for-pound #1.”